Bronchiolitis affects one third of babies in their first year of life. We investigated all bronchiolitis admissions to
Tallaght Hospital in the last five years, with the hope of providing an insight into the epidemic in an Irish
population. We analysed these 1,202 admissions on the basis of time of year (busiest being December at 24.2%), length
of stay (mean 2.92 days), gender (62% male) and age (mean 30.29 weeks). There was a 102% increase in the average
incidence of bronchiolitis in the first six months of 2011 and 2012 (186) compared to the previous four years (92.25).
P value was statistically significant at 0.0469. Our findings were backed up by comparable data from OLCH, Crumlin
(149.5 for 2011-2012 vs 36.25 for 2007-2010). There has been in a significant shift in the timing and incidence of
bronchiolitis in Tallaght Hospital in the last two years. We explored the possible reasons for this, with special
attention to RSV incidence, climate causes and vaccine programs.

Bronchiolitis affects one third of babies in their first year of life. We investigated all bronchiolitis admissions to
Tallaght Hospital in the last five years, with the hope of providing an insight into the epidemic in an Irish
population. We analysed these 1,202 admissions on the basis of time of year (busiest being December at 24.2%), length
of stay (mean 2.92 days), gender (62% male) and age (mean 30.29 weeks). There was a 102% increase in the average
incidence of bronchiolitis in the first six months of 2011 and 2012 (186) compared to the previous four years (92.25).
P value was statistically significant at 0.0469. Our findings were backed up by comparable data from OLCH, Crumlin
(149.5 for 2011-2012 vs 36.25 for 2007-2010). There has been in a significant shift in the timing and incidence of
bronchiolitis in Tallaght Hospital in the last two years. We explored the possible reasons for this, with special
attention to RSV incidence, climate causes and vaccine programs.

en_GB

dc.language.iso

en

en

dc.publisher

Irish Medical Journal (IMJ)

en_GB

dc.subject

INFANT CARE

en_GB

dc.subject.other

BRONCHIOLITIS

en_GB

dc.title

The changing epidemiology of the Bronchiolitis epidemic in Tallaght Hospital

en_GB

dc.type

Article

en

dc.identifier.journal

Irish Medical Journal (IMJ)

en_GB

dc.description.funding

No funding

en

dc.description.province

Leinster

en

dc.description.peer-review

peer-review

en

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